How often can you change formula?

Dru - posted on 05/18/2011
(
208 moms have responded
)

11

1

0

I have 3 different types of formula. Does it hurt her if i ran out of one and use a different kind? She is on Similac for gas and fussiness and is doing well but I have 2 other kinds of samples I would like to try before I buy in bulk. Similac Advanced and Enfamil.

MOST HELPFUL POSTS

Dru - posted on 05/20/2011

11

1

0

Crystal,

First of all I would like to commend you on BF your child until 2yrs. I honestly think that is awesome. Second, you are right. I am sensitive about the subject because BF was not smooth sailing for me or my baby and I have been mentally and physically exhausted from it. So yeah I was torn about giving her formula but felt it was the best and my daughter has been better since the swap. I still pump and she gets at least one breast milk bottle a day.

I just really do not know what your point was of your first post other than trying to make someone feel bad. Since you could not answer my question, why did you even come into this conversation? No one asked if you liked formula. I think you have very good points to your debate but it does not belong in this chat and if I wanted to read about what was better, BF or formula, I would go to that conversation.

And to everyone giving the "breast is best" speech. It really is not possible for some people. I tried for a week with my first but as I have large aureole and my son had a small mouth it just wouldn't happen. eventually my nipples were cracking and even expressing milk was no good as he was getting my blood as well. The milk was red. Every attempted feed ended with him screaming with hunger and frustration and me crying from pain,guilt and frustration. the breastfeeding coordinator expected me to 'Just keep trying dear" . My father walked in on the end of a feed one day and turned around and went and bought formula. when my second son was born I took one look at the size of his mouth and told them to put him straight to formula. I've never regretted it and have not felt guilty for a minute. Breastfeeding is NOT always best. Like everything else it depends on the individual situation.

Crystal, yes, you are entitled to your low opinion of formula. But here, in the "land of adults", it's typically respectful to actually answer the question being asked. You can't make a statement like your first one and not expect people to be offended by it. If you actually READ the original post, you'll see that she's asking if it's ok to SWITCH formula. Here, in the land of adults, to break it down Barney style for you, this means she isn't asking for your opinion of formula. She's seeking advice from other formula using moms, about a specific question regarding the use of formula. You don't use formula? Great. You're proud of the fact that you breastfed all your babies til they were two? Super. But come on, live in the world of adults and if you find a topic that is about someone asking for advice, and you have none, then don't reply.

If formula isn't the closest thing to breast milk, what is? What do you suggest if a woman CANNOT breastfeed? If you are a militant breastfeeding mom, I don't care, it doesn't hurt me. What right do you have to butt in with a response that can easily be taken as completely rude? You wouldn't want someone to respond rudely about you nursing a 2 yr old, right? Someone asked about a formula, you didn't need to respond with a comment about nursing. It had nothing to do with formula!

Switching formula can upset her stomach, you should stick to one kind. my kids had similac neosure and then advanced. we tried a few others but one baby kept spitting it up. If she's doing well, i wouldn't change her, maybe find someone who needs the samples you have and try to find someone giving away what you need.

"If it aint broke don't fix it" is the phrase that comes to mind. In other words if the poor kid has already shown signs of a delicate digestion and she is doing well on similac,don't risk upsetting her poor little belly by swapping and changing. donate the samples you do have to your local womens refuge.

Also, if you just ran out and are going to feed her a sample in the mean time only to switch back when you get to the store I think that's a bad idea. Not only could it hurt her little tummy but it'll make life harder for you when she's up all night crying.

Of course some kids do fine, but it's probably better not to chance it if it's not needed. kwim?

I breastfed my oldest and youngest but my middle son was on formula, he responded well only to soy formula the other upset his stomach. I say stick with what works for him, and discuss with your pediatrician what to look for in a reaction to a new formula. Also maybe ask her advice on one to try, she sees tons of parents who come in with formula reactions and might have one she recommends to her patients?

I don't remember how often it's safe to switch (my middle baby is 8 now) but I do remember I asked his ped and she's the one who suggested trying soy.

Depends on how old the baby is. If it's a little baby and you have like soy, then alimentum, then similac sensative you shouldn't change it. If you have a bigger baby it doesn't really matter.If it's all sensitive like for fussiness and gas but just different brands like enfamil and similac, it's fine. It's all the same junk.

Dru, at least you tried to nurse your baby and you have sense enough to do what is best for her. I can't stand it when breastfeeding moms try to make formula moms feel bad for not nursing and I hate it when bottle moms sneer at nursing moms who nurse for a long time. With that being said ,I am a mother of four who nursed her first three until right at 2 years and I have a 15 month old baby I am still nursing and the last 3 did get an occasional bottle of formula, however they hated bottles. So I don't have an answer for you since I'm not very experienced in the formula field. My point is it is ridiculous when other moms have to get snarky on these boards when you only come here for advice. Good luck!!!

We had to switch my daughter 4 times before we used Enfamil GentleEase. We got WIC and if we ran out we would buy Parents Choice or Walgreens/ Kroger brand formula. We also would get samples of Similac. If my daughter cared about the different brands she sure didn't show it! I think as long as you stay with the same type like for fussiness ad gas,

I would switch back and forth all the time when my kids were small. My peditrician told me that for the most part, they are all the same (as far as nutritional value is concerned.) It never seemed to bother my kids to change brands.

I did breastfeed for 6 weeks and she did not digest it well and seemed to be hungry every hour. then we got thrush. I am also worried that the medicine I take for lupus might have effected the my milk which could be the cause of tummy problems.

Again Crystal respectfully..why assume we don't have a clue because we formula feed.Let me tell you i probably know a lot more about b/f than many b/f mothers would think..I don't mean that in a snotty sense.I research and speak to b/f mothers.I have seen first hand with other b/f mothers the challenges the go through as well as the joys and positive side.

I b/f for as long as i could.I am very well educated on b/f as it goes.Yes i can speak from both sides on this matter.Which is a fantastic advantage.

I love you have an opinion , i love you think b/f is the only way to feed as its your only experience but unfortunately its not always going to be as black&white as that.

I was taken back by your lack of thought in the first comment.Lack of words to describe and explain your opinion.I will not sit here at my pc and say YOUR ignorant or anything of that nature, as i do not know you,but i will address how your opinion came across.So a kind word would be, yes do not apologise for your feelings but apologise for the way in which you felt the need to go about it.You were wrong to disrespectfully go about putting your comments that way.Think always before you post.That goes to everybody i feel.

I would not suggest changing formula ever the reason is it is like when you change a dogs food they get bad gas and the just act differently and it is just better to stick with one type unless your baby is not tolerating it. Then with your doctor's help you can try and find out what works and what does not. Also, I know my Ingles allows me to take anything in there with out a receipt and get what I need to by swapping out and if what I want costs just a little more the I just pay the difference, Hope this help! Hope everything works out, Callie!

Dru-- you do whats best for you and if you can't breastfeed then fine stick to the formula your doctor suggested and only that kind and if doesn't work then have them suggest a different kind. It doesn't matter what other people say about formula or breastfeeding. Some people can't breastfeed I couldn't for my 2nd child. And yes they say the breast milk is better for the child and you get all that bonding time but if your healthy and can't supply enough then I think its better for your child to have formula so at least you know she's eating and not losing weight. Do what you think is best she is your daughter and only you can determine whats best for her. Don't let all these drama comments get to you. Everyone is allowed to voice their opinions, yes, but it shouldn't be done especially since you were askin about formula and if its ok to mix

Crystal, You have no idea what its like to be up nursing a baby every hour bcause your body won't "do what its suppos to do" I pumped my brains out trying to get more milk i would pump inbetween feedings all i did was nurse, pump, and change diapers for a month my baby lost weight and i had to give her foumula. On top of it all i was in labor for 36 hours which ended in a csec which got horribly infected because the dr did a sloppy job. you i'm sure all the circumstances didn't help my milk to come in but how dare you judge anyone for some of us its not a choice. This post had nothing to do with your opinion about formula. you know the whole saying opinions are like buttholes.... I am so glad that you got to experience nursing but for whatever reason my body decided that it wasn't something it was going to do so please don't make me feel any worse about it than i already do

Sounds like youv answered UR own question.I would go with what is tried and tested, the name of the formula 2 suit Ur babys needs. I went for a formula that was meant 2 taste like breast milk and my baby fell for it.If in doubt, dont by 2much at once. Best of luck

I don't think it hurts, but I can cause upset stomach. I also had the samples from the hospital and in the mail. My twins are on Enfamil fussiness and gas. I used the samples I did notice that they had more gas at times when I used the different formulas, but I only used the same brand, I didn't use Similac. I hope this helps.

Tred lightly. It can really upset their tummy. you should be prepared for a period of spitting up or extra gas when you do switch. Also do not do it too sudden or too close together because you will not know how your child is doing with the formula. You will not know which one makes her spit up more or more gassy if you switch too close together. Check with pediatrician.

Hi I no longer have babies but am a couponer and the other day *Abott Nutrition was offering FREE cases and a friend asked me to order for one of her friends who has a DOWNS baby, but they can’t use the one I was sent.

Needless to say I have no one to give it to. Here is the brand I have a case of Similac Expert Care NeoSure Ready-to-Feed / 2-fl oz bottles {48 per case}

If it is something you need or would like I'd gladly send it to you. Inbox me neka0025@hotmail.com

It's not a hoax I just want someone to have it who can use it...None of my friends know anyone :(

Hi Dru: I am a grandma now, and I nursed two of my sons. However the first son was on formula. I too believe that if the formula she is on seems to be working well with her tummy, then don't play around with others. I don't think a sample of another type will give you a true idea if she really can handle it well. My daughter-in-law tried a new formula on my grandson because it was on sale and he broke out in hives!!! If you have concerns about the formula she is on, if she develops some kind of issue, then speak to your doctor before making changes!

frequent changing can cause problems for baby---if you have one that agrees with baby stick to it--and next baby, if possible, try breastmilk--it beats ALL FORMULA and is cheap and always available. Breastfeeding is more challenging than bottle feeding the first two weeks but then the dividends kick in and it is well worth it.

I was the mom that used up all the samples :-) Formula is expensive, and if you are strapped for money, you gotta do what you gotta do! I started out with nursing and Similac (I had a bunch of samples from the hospital). Did that for a couple of months then switched to Enfamil. When she was about 5 months I got a free can of Good Start and that was the only time her tummy rejected anything, so I went back to Enfamil and soon after switched to Target brand. Given that my kids are not prone to allergies, to excessive gas or tummy aches, switching was not a problem for us for the most part. By the time I had baby #3 I just did Target brand from the beginning since the Pediatrician said they are really all the same. He is 2 and hasn't even had an ear infection yet. He's the healthiest kid I have ever know of. In fact, all my kids are very healthy, even with the formula switching and all. I say if you want to switch, just watch your baby closely for increased tummy problems and try not to switch too often but I don't think it's a really big deal to switch.

Yes it will make a difference if they already have digestive issues. Since she is already having problems with gas and fussiness, changing her formula could make it worse. And probably will. My first two children suffered from the same thing and when I tried to switch formula, it made is so much worse.

I would say no, because if you keep changing formula, she might have an allergic reaction to one of the formulas and it would be hard to know which one if you keep changing them, and also it can affect the bowel movement in her body by causing constipation.

You must be very carefull when changing formula's as the ingredients differ from formula to formula. If you need to use another type try to get one that has the same type of ingredients than the one you are currently using. Changing too often will cause stomach ache, upset stomachs or even constipation or diahree. Rather refrain from changing, if you cant get a formula and you are in stress mode, then you can always give them black rooibos tea sweetened only a little bit. Not sure though whether Rooibos tea is avail in your country as it is a South African Product. But it works wonders for their tummy. Good luck :-)

My husband and I debated this same thing but because our little man was doing so well on Similac Sensitive we decided not to disrupt anything especially because our thought process is that if its hard to digest its more than likely hard and sometimes painful to pass. We donated our samples to our daycare. And sure enough the other parents needed it and paid it forward by donating theirs! You know your baby best though, good luck!!! :-)

i agree, check with pediatrician. With my daughter (now two) we stayed with the same brand but used samples of different types within that brand. Everything we heard from the docs and at the hospital indicated that was okay but switching brands was more troublesome.When we learned Costco brand was basically generic of Similac we started by giving our daughter half and half, weaning her to all Kirkland and she did fine.

I have twin girls and I switched formula brands with them and it didn't bother them at all. Most of the time I would use Target brand b/c its less expensive than other brands and just as good. Though I would use free samples sent to me, or if I ran out whatever the local store had like Similac or Enfamil. It can't hurt to try other brands, but if it seems to bother your daughter, than keep her on what you know works.

ask your pediatrician...its usually never recommended..Similac is the best as far as I am concerned...all 3 of my kids were on it..the docs all told me it was the best for them..the others were junk they said

Wow, so many formulas these days! I am an RN with many years of neonatal nursery experience and I have 6 children of my own ranging in age from 4 to 18. I can honestly say that formulas are alike, only varying in whether they are soy or not. We put babies on a brand of formula based on their individual dr's preference. So, one crib may be Similac, the next crib may be Enfamil, etc... Some drs. would start the babies on soy right away (their spit ups always smell worse). We were always taught in school that it takes an infant a while to show a reaction to a formula. That has also been the thinking at the hospitals where I have worked. Thus, we didn't switch from Enfamil to a soy formula during the 2 day hospital stay just because a baby spit up a few times. As a mother, I personally used whatever formula sample I had along with breastfeeding. I know some of you are freaking out now with the thought! My children all managed to breastfeed for 1-2 years depending on the child without any problems. I only had one of the six with cronic reflux and he wouldn't take anything but breastmilk after the first couple of weeks. After all the testing my good old family dr. said he would stop projectile vomiting when he learned to walk. The diaphragm would strengthen and he would be fine. The dr was right. He is now 15, 6 feet and totally ripped. So, don't sweat the small stuff. Just go slowly with the other brands of formula and see how she does. If I haven't learned anything else as a nurse and mother, I have learned that every baby/child is different.

Those that are jumping on the daebate of formula v breastmilk, should just simply back off and keep your opinions to yourself!! I have two bubs the first I was in hospital with for two weeks as she wouldnt put on any weight, ( I was breastfeeding) after her loosing too much weigh even after using the nasal tubing feed for a week using my breastmilk and stilll no weight I had my milk tested and the results came back it was like I was feeding my child water. I switched to formula immediately and she started to put on weight. I tell you I dont have any self doubt and and consider myself a great mum. You can not blame GPs afterall its the MUMs decision to make in the end. There was no need to write your first comment at all, did your parents not teach you say nothing if you have nothing nice to say at all.

In Australia if your bub has bad reflux or needs a special formula you can get five tins of anti reflux formula on a script for $5.80, talk to your doc or health nurse. My second is ten months old and I have switched her formula three times since being born and have had no issues at all. But I still advise talk to your doc. Some areas donated breast milk is not available!!!

I would try her on the other 2.... I tried a many different ones with my daughter. She was the best on Goats Milk Formula. All the others gave her a sore stomach, Spew after feeds etc... You should notice the difference pretty quickly. Good Luck. Let me know how you get on..

The hospital where my second child was born gave me both Similac Advance and Enfamil for Newborns. I asked about using both...they said as long as your child doesn't have any special formula needs (like sensitive, soy, or other specialized ones) you can use more than one kind. Basically by using the unspecialized formulas of Similac, Enfamil, or a store brand you are okay. But I imagine every child is different. I have given my 3 1/2 month old Similac Advance, Enfamil for Newborns, Enfamil Premium, and Parents Choice Premium and Advantage. I don't switch daily or even weekly...but I will use a whole can of one and if someone gives me a can of another or I get a free can in the mail I will use it. My son has had no issue at all...he isn't fussy, has no gas issues, and is pooping fine. I would say since your daughter is on one for gas and fussiness, if you did use something else it needs to be an equivilant of that...it would need to be the one for gas and fussiness in that particular brand.

Our son & 'dgtr' used Enfamil for the exact same thing, only their's had rice in it. They stuck w/it, and through their pediatrician's direction, gave their dgtr drops of infant Tylenol, 3 or so times a day. Seemed to help...

From what I know about formula having feed my first this way, it's best to stick with the one brand/type especially if it's a specially designed formula to help her gas etc. Changing formula can be constipating and upsetting to their stomachs but best to check with healthcare provider I think :)